They Call Us Los Angeles Wildfires

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.

What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

In this episode, we welcome our friends, author/podcaster R Scott Okamoto and filmmaker/professor Renee Tajima-Pena, to share their reflections on the devastating wildfires that have ravaged parts of greater Los Angeles. Scott shares about the terrifying experience of evacuating from the approaching inferno, while Renee scrambled (and dodged road closures) to save her family's treasures and traditions. The discuss the profound loss for the history and community of Altadena and the incredible heart in Los Angeles's response to this moment.

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 98: They Call Us Renee Tajima-Pena

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.



What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

On this episode, we welcome Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Renee Tajima-Pena, producer of the epic new PBS documentary series Asian Americans. She talks about finding the stories that don't make it into textbooks, how history repeats itself, and the challenges of condensing 150 years of history into a five-hour public television series.

'Asian Americans': New PBS documentary chronicles the Asian American story

Groundbreaking new five-part documentary series to air on public television in May 2020.



Mark your calendars. This week, PBS and WETA officially announced the groundbreaking new five-part documentary series Asian Americans, currently in production and set for national broadcast on PBS stations in May 2020, during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Told through individual lives and personal histories, the series explores the impact of the Asian American story on the country's past, present, and future.

Led by a team of Asian American filmmakers, including Academy Award-nominated series producer Renee Tajima-Peña, Asian Americans examines the significant role of Asian Americans in shaping American history and identity, from the first wave of Asian immigrants in the 1850s and identity politics during the social and cultural turmoil of the twentieth century to modern refugee crises in a globally connected world.

More from PBS' press release:

Who Killed Vincent Chin? Film Screening

Saturday, May 13 at the Wing Luke Museum



This year marks the 35th anniversary of Vincent Chin's murder. If you're in Seattle, the Wing Luke Museum is revisiting the landmark case with a special screening of the seminal documentary Who Killed Vincent Chin?, followed by a panel discussion with filmmaker Renee Tajima-Pena, Marsha Chien (Washington State Assistant Attorney General, Wing Luke Civil Rights Unit), Connie So (University of Washington American Ethnic Studies, Principal Lecturer) and Rich Stolz (OneAmerica, Executive Director).

It's happening Saturday, May 13 at the Wing Luke Museum. Here are some more details: